Of Two Bloods- Charlie
by Anonymous Rhino
Summary: Charlie has never truly belonged anywhere. She was left on the steps of the NY Institute when she was a month old, and ran away when she was thirteen and never looked back. Her life is normal for a fifteen year old on the run- but not for long. Soon, she is sucked into a brand new world filled with demons, downworlders, monsters, and Gods.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One~

I've been on the run for the majority of my life. I haven't been able to stay in one place for too long-yet.

I have no idea if it was my mother or my father who put me on the steps of the New York Institute when I was barely a month old. There was a handwritten note tucked in the blankets I was wrapped up in. It said that I needed shelter and "direction". Whatever that meant. The letter also said that I was special. Not in the way that I have ADHD and dyslexia, but that I was one of the most unusual people the world has ever known. Yeah, right.

Why am I telling you this? I'm not sure. This is supposed to be a secret, but I was never good at keeping those.

There wasn't a signature on the letter. There was a rune. A bundle of swirls and straight lines that I can't find anywhere in the Grey Book. Somehow, the caretaker of the Institute, Luke, knew who I was, who at least one of my parents was, and where I come from. He raised me as his own daughter. Once I could run, I started Shadowhunter training.

In case you don't know, Shadowhunters are a race of half-angels and half-humans. We hunt down bloodthirsty demons that want to turn our world into a wasteland where we are extinct and there is nothing to stop them from devouring a very juicy human that can't even see what's ripping them to shreds. Thats why we are so important.

You could call us superheroes, but i'd probably gut you like a fish if you called me that.

Anyway, I was one of the most experienced Shadowhunters Luke had ever trained because I started training so young. I kind of hated him for it. I never had time to discover myself, or make friends with the other Shadowhunters my age at the Institute. The one thing that let me feel free was music. The loud guitars and pounding drums are like an escape to a fantasy where I'm a normal person living a normal life where I don't have to worry about anything. Or anyone.

One night when I was thirteen I had a vivid dream that scared me so much that I became afraid of the darkness afterward. I don't remember the dream anymore, but what I do remember are the shadows. There was someone whispering my name, over and over. Asking me questions. Commanding me to leave my home, or I'd die. I thought I was pretty messed up until I could see them every night in the corners of my room, and in between the doors of my closet. Whispering. Always whispering. I knew I needed to leave.

During the next week I gathered materials for my disappearing act. I was going to the nearest big city. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

I remember plugging my ear buds into my phone and climbing out my second story window by using a ladder i made of extra sheets and towels i found in an empty guest bedroom. When i touched the ground, the shadows came to life. They moved towards me with grace and reached for me in the unnoticed darkness. They whispered horrible things I could barely understand.

Charlie, save us. Charlie, avenge us. Kill the master. KILL HIM. I stuffed my ear buds into both my ears and drowned the whispers with the loud music I love. You can imagine how traumatized a thirteen year old would be.

Anyway, I walked to an abandoned inn at the side of a highway and climbed into one of the rooms. Thats where I slept that night. Sometimes it was underneath bridges, or in empty houses. I learned to call places like that home. After who knows how many days of traveling -I lost count - I arrived at the Philadelphia Institute.

When I knocked on the doors, a tall man with tan skin, black hair that had a few streaks of gray, and eyes so blue they seemed to reach into my soul. He wore a gold ring on his right hand.

"Who are you?" The man asked.

"I'm a Shadowhunter and I need somewhere to stay. I don't know for how long, though." I said as I showed him the rune of speed on the inside of my left wrist. He studied it carefully and let me inside. I didn't even know his name.

The man didn't talk much, but when he did he was really nice. I told him about my dream and the reasons why I needed to leave. He kept asking short questions like where I was from, or what my name meant, or why i didn't get attacked by demons on the way here. To be honest, I thought that the shadows protected me from demons. Who knows?

After we wandered (that's what it felt like, at least) throughout the entire place he showed me to a spare bedroom somewhere in the winding hallways. He gave me directions to the kitchen, the meal times, and where to find the bathrooms before he left. I still didn't know what his name was or what to call him.

There wasn't anyone living at the Institute besides the man. The only place I saw him was in the kitchen during mealtimes. I spent most of my time in a training room across the hall to my room. It had high, vaulted ceilings and black walls that had padding. One wall was made up entirely of windows that looked over the city and another had human dummies that I used as targets. The dark hardwood floors looked freshly polished and they smelled like lemons everyday. I practiced using a silver whip and an old bow and arrows I found that kept threatening to fall apart. They felt more natural in my hands, unlike a knife or seraph blades. One day about a month after I arrived, I was having trouble hitting the targets with any of the arrows. I got so frustrated that I fired three arrows at once and hit a dummy in the head, stomach, and heart.

"Wow. I haven't seen someone shoot with that accuracy in years, but why is it that only those last three arrows hit the target? Why are all the others off?" I turn around to see who had spoken. It was the man who had spoken. I had never heard him say that much at one time.

"I dunno. I guess I got lucky" I replied with a shrug.

"There is no such thing as 'luck'. Remember that. Try it again." He said. He stood behind me a few feet and watched me fire three arrows like I did only moments ago. They flew in three different directions and didn't come within three feet of the target i was aiming for.

"UGH! What is wrong with me? Why can't I hit the dummy once?" I grab my whip out of my back pocket and start slashing away the limbs of the human dummy. The man didn't say a word until all that was left of the dummy was a mountain of white stuffing.

"Are you done?" The man asked me calmly.

I turned around. "yes" I felt so ashamed. Luke always scolded me if I got this frustrated. If I destroyed one of his targets, well, let just say i'd be pretty hungry for a week or two. "I'm sorry" I apologised. "I had no reason to do that and I regret it now. Please forgive me." I hung my head. When I looked up at him after a few seconds he was grinning. Almost from ear to ear, I swear. He walked over to me and gave me a hug.

"Obviously, you haven't had much love in your life." he laughed. He walked out the door and added "Follow me." over his shoulder. I obeyed. He walked over to a door at the end of the hallway near the bathrooms, took out a set of keys, and unlocked the door. Once he was inside, he turned on a light and stuck his head out.

"Coming?"

I reluctantly walk towards the door and look in. The bare walls were painted a navy blue and there was a dartboard on the far wall. A long oak table occupied the majority of the room. On top was an endless amount of steles and every weapon known to the Nephilim. Bows and arrows, seraph blades, blessed knives, holy water, and even some that I didn't recognize.

"I can see you aren't comfortable with my bow and arrow. Please," he made a sweeping gesture with his hands, "Pick a new one." Most of the bows on the table look new. I pick up a silver one and pull the string.

Too tight. I set it down and look further down the table. It looks like the newer looking things are closer to the door, and the older ones are closer to the far wall. As I walk along i spot a wooden bow that looks like it was used for a while, but nowhere near the same amount as the one I was using before. I pick it up and pull the string. Perfect. I grab an arrow from the quiver next to it and fire at the dart board. Bulls-eye. I turn around to look at the man. He was standing in the doorway with his arms crossed. "You pick your weapons well. Its yours now. Consider it a welcoming gift." He turns around and leaves.

"Oh. Before I forget, remember to call me Sensei from now on."

For the next few weeks I lived at the Philadelphia Institute. I ate, trained, and for the first time in a while, felt like I was living in a real home. It didn't last for long. One night two months after I arrived, I got a dream. The shadows were warning me.

Leave. Leave now, or all you know will be gone forever. They told me. I woke in a cold sweat. I wrote a note to Sensei:

Sensei,

I need to leave immediately. I had another dream. The first one since I left the NY Institute. They said i needed to leave… or you and everyone i'd ever known would be gone forever. I hope you understand. Thank you for the advice, the weapons, and for the hospitality, but i need to leave

Charlie

So, I moved on. For the next two and a half years I was on the move. I went from Institute to Institute, looking for a home. But I could never stay longer than a month. My shadows always warned me, and I was thankful. But because of them I never had a family, or a home. It was hard, but it was my life. Then, when I was in the Colorado mountains, I found Willow.


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, whoa. I was not expecting for ANY reviews on the first chapter of my first story, so i want to THANK Krissa M (I don't want to post your full name if you don't want it out there) for being THE FIRST REVIEWER and for the super nice review (No, seriously it made my day) *cue confetti canon* :D OK, well here is OF TWO BLOODS - CHARLIE CHAPTER TWO! **

I was walking in a forest, and, lets face it; I was lost. A few hours ago I was on a trail to a small town called Hawthorne, and I came across a crossroad. There was a sign that pointed me to the left path that would take me there, but my gut said to go through the right one. So, instinctively, I did. Before I went too far in, I heard a rustle in the leaves in front of me. Then a growl. I grab my whip and step back. A woman's head appeared in the leaves.

"Oh hello there, dear! Did I startle you?" I'm sorry, but that woman was ugly. She had tangled, blonde hair that was covered in leaves and twigs. Her dirty skin was covered in acne and she had the largest wart on her nose. She had brown eyes reminded of dog poop and she didn't smell any better.

"Oh no, I'm fine. Why don't you come out?" I ask. I have a bad feeling about this…

"I don't need to. I just need to ask you a question." I open my mouth to say something, but she cuts me off. "Oh, it's a short question, dear. Not to worry." Dear? Did she just call me dear?

"Okay. What's the question?" I question. I don't bother smiling.

She smiles. I really wish she didn't. It made her nose look bigger than it already is. "There are two sisters: one gives birth to the other and she, in turn, gives birth to the first. Who are the two sisters?" What?

"Can you repeat that please?" I say, rubbing the back of my neck. I've been told I do that when I think.

"There are two sisters: one gives birth to the other and she, in turn, gives birth to the first. Who are the two sisters?" She repeats. Does she really expect me to know the answer to this?

"I have absolutely no idea." I answer.

"Aw. Too bad. You would've been a very good hero." The woman starts to move forward. Then, I notice that she isn't human. She has the head of a woman, the body of a lion, and the wings of an eagle.

"What are you?" I demand, suddenly regretting going down this path.

"I am the daughter of Echidna and Orthrus. The mighty Sphinx, and you have failed to answer my riddle. Put down your weapon and I might just make your death quick, demigod."

"When hell freezes over." I mutter. I step forward and slash her back a few times. Her wounds immediately start to heal.

"Thought you could kill me, child? No, I have grown stronger since The Master claimed me."

"The Master? Who's The Master?" I demand. I replace my whip with my bow and arrows-the same ones Sensei gave to me- when the sphinx jumps on top of a rock.. She seems fairly amused by my question.

"Oh. You don't know? Well, that's rather disappointing. Master said you were the most resourceful one. You had the souls of your ancestors guiding you, shaping you, almost raising you." She taunted. The souls of my ancestors… does she mean my shadows? Well, if she does, then she's pretty accurate. They have been the one thing in my life that I could count on. But how did she know? The only person I told was Sensei… no, Sensei would keep my secret. Right?

I knock an arrow onto my bow-string and aim at a spot in between her eyes. "How about we make a deal. You can ask me one more question, and if I don't answer correctly, you can kill me. I won't even try to stop you." The sphinx thinks about this for a moment, and i continue, "Or, you can fight me. Your choice." Please choose the riddle…

"Ha! You have sealed your fate. I will kill you. You will fail and I shall be greatly rewarded by The Master. I will give you another riddle. Which creature has one voice and yet becomes four-footed and two-footed and three-footed?" She asks. Perfect. I know this riddle. Sensei taught it to me when I was thirteen.

I pretend to look confused. I even rub the back of my neck, just to make it convincing. After a few seconds I say, "A human. When we are young we walk on all fours, when we grow up we walk on two feet, and once we get old, we use a cane." The Sphinx's eyes widen.

"What? How is that possible? I told that same riddle hundreds of years ago when I guarded the entrance to Thebes and only one solved it." she grimaces. "Oedipus."

"Yeah, well that riddle is pretty well-known now. Might want to think of a new one." I say. I let the arrow fly into her skull. Dead. But what happens next surprises me; she started to disintegrate into a fine, golden dust that blew away in the wind.

Run. I hear one of my shadows say. I don't question it. Its coming. I bolt through the trees and off the path. If someone is looking for me, then it might be harder for them to find me in the middle of the forest. I run until my lungs burn and my feet beg for a break. A pond that's half the size of a swimming pool sits in front of me. The trees around me make a serene sound as the move in the wind. My eyes start to close. It's so peaceful here… it's almost if this were the most tranquil I've been in my life. Charlie. It's not real! Wake up! It's almost here! The sounds of my shadows' whispers wake me from my trance. Suddenly I notice that at the bottom of the pond are a countless amount of bones and swords and the trees barely make a sound, even with a bone-chilling wind blowing.

Don't run. You will make more noise. Go towards the east. You will meet one of your kind. There, you will be safe. Go. Continue further east. There, you will be the safest you will ever be. But take caution. Some aren't who they seem. You will be beneath the nose of your greatest enemy. Take caution… Well, at least they told me where to go this time. For years they never said where to go or who to trust. Maybe they're finally warming up to me.

Two hours. That's about how long I've walked. I'm not really tired, I've walked farther distances dozens of times but I'm very hungry. I didn't pack any food because I had planned to be in Hawthorne by now. If it weren't for that sphinx…

The trees in front of me look like they're thinning out a little. Maybe there's a clearing or a pond… pond. Water. Food.

FOOD.

Next thing I know I'm running. Running towards the thinning trees because there may be some source of water. Where there's water, food is nearby. I tumble through the trees and see that I am in a clearing, but I'm not alone. Two kids around my age are in front of a brown tent that looks like it needs replacing. One of them-a boy- stands protectively in front of a girl with a bronze knife that had a twelve-inch blade in his hand.

"Who are you?"I say. "What are you doing here?" I see the faintest flicker of recognition in the girl's eyes

"Charlie?" She whispers. Her voice is gentle, and kind. She uses a tone I would use with a small child. "Is that your name?"

I reach behind me and grasp the feather of one of my arrows and knock it onto my bow in record-breaking time. The arrow is aimed straight between both her eyes. "Who told you that? Was it the shadows?"

I feel the cold metal of the boy's knife at my throat. "You make a move, your head comes off" He whispers in my ear. I need to strain to make sure I hear him correctly.

"What are you doing here? How did you find us?" He asks me-this time loud enough so the girl can hear him- as he looks down. I feel even shorter than I already am with him looking down at me.

"Let her go" The girl says. Now, her tone is stern. Almost as if she is commanding a dog to obey.

"Willow are you-"

"No. I am not crazy. She isn't a threat." The girl, Willow, says.

"How do you know that?" The guy retorts. He's starting to get on my nerves

"I don't. I just have a feeling that she's important." Her eyes plead. The guy lets me go. Well, he kind of just takes the knife away from my throat and pushes me onto the dirt closer to Willow. I get a closer look at her. She has wavy, light brown hair that's loose around her shoulders. Her blue eyes are huge, and they're surrounded my long eyelashes that make her eyes even bigger. Talk. She is the answer to all your questions, and your salvation.

"Willow? Are you Willow?" I burst.

"Yeah. You Charlie?" She responds and smiles a smile that's made of white teeth that sparkle in the sunlight. In fact, its almost blinding.

"How did you know?" I ask, skeptical.

"I dunno… the name kinda just popped in."

"Do you know each other?" The guy asks. I look behind Willow and look at him. Brown eyes, brown hair, tan skin. There isn't really anything unique about his features.

"No" Willow and I reply. At the same time, may I add.

My lips move without me wanting them to, "Are you one of me?"

"What? A demigod?" The guy asks, annoyed. What is wrong with this guy?

I raise my head to look at him. "No. What on earth is a demigod? Sounds like a new breed of demon to me. No. I am part of the Nephilim." They look utterly confused.

"A part of what?"

"A Shadowhunter… you've never heard of one?"

**Please, please PLEASE review! **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three~

Turns out that they didn't know what a Shadowhunter was. Or a demon. Or Valentine Morgenstern. Or anything at all that had to do with the Nephilim. Yet again, I couldn't wrap my mind around the whole, 'half god, half mortal' thing the boy-whose name was Kyle- was kind of obsessed with. It's all he would talk about. Gibberish about the Greek gods and goddesses, and the different monsters that heroes with abnormal names would kill over and over again. Willow was patient with him, but after a few hours of greek mythology she looked like she would do anything to shut him up. When he finally noticed that Willow didn't care much about ancient history he went inside the tent, and left Willow and I to 'talk about whatever we thought was more interesting'.  
I'm not sure why I stayed so long. Willow and I became fast friends. She's more likable than I thought at first. Somehow, she slipped behind the walls I've built up for years in less than an hour. We talked about everything-Well, I did most of the talking. I told her about Luke, and Sensei, and about moving from place to place every few weeks. I didn't notice how late it was until I looked at the sky, expecting the sunlight to hit my face, but instead it was cold moonlight.  
"So, I guess you're going to spend the night?" Willow asks. "It's late. If you want, you can use my sleeping bag." She starts to move to the tent.  
"No, no. Its fine. I have my own." I tell her. I grab my backpack and take out a dark blue sleeping bag that I've been using for less than six months. Every year for Christmas I would buy something for myself. Even when I was with Luke at the Institute and he wouldn't let me have that one day off for the holiday. I'd sneak out early in the morning with whatever amount of money I'd collected over the year and buy myself something small, something Luke wouldn't notice, like a bag of candies or a pin. When I was twelve, I risked buying a necklace of a balance. Funny enough, Luke didn't notice it when he was training me: Even when I was hanging upside down and the balance charm was clearly visible, he didn't say anything.  
Willow's face looked relieved. "Kay, cool. I'm going to check if there's room in the tent."  
My face must have looked really horrified. I can't stand small spaces, like a tent. I've always felt safer outside with my shadows. They've been my protection for these last few years when I was on my own.

"No. Tents kind of make me feel claustrophobic. There would be more room for you in there anyway." I mumble, looking at my hands.  
Willow smiles and puts one of her hands on my shoulders. "Are you okay? You seem kind of down." Truth is, I was. Sooner or later, I was going to leave Willow. She has been the only person who I felt I could trust in a while.  
"Uh, no. I'm fine. Really." I say, looking up.  
"Alright. If you need something wake me up, alright?" She smiles and gets up to get in the tent. I settle into my sleeping bag under the canopy of trees. The stars are visible between the tree branches. Almost everyday after I ran away for the first time I fell asleep looking at the millions of twinkling stars. My eyes close and I hope for a dreamless sleep.  
Of course, that doesn't happen

It's almost three years ago. The night I escaped from the New York Institute.  
The dream starts with the nightmare I had that night that scared me so much I ran away. I guess that it was so traumatizing that I decided to forget most of it. Well, lucky me, I get to experience it again.  
I'm standing in a dark palace. The curtains are made of a thick velvet-looking fabric and the walls are painted a dark blue. White marble tiles covered the floor. In the center of the room is a small, circular oak table with two glasses.

_ Both take a life, however it is your choice who dies_.

I look around to see who said something, but I am alone in the dark room.  
"I'm not scared of you! Whoever you are!" I scream at the bodiless voice. "Show yourself!" Laughter.  
_You? You think you are brave. Loyal. That you are the best Shadowhunter the world has ever known. You are wrong. You, you are weak. Not to mention replaceable, disposable_. It taunts.  
_ I will make a deal with you. If you think you are so brave, drink one of the liquids in the glasses. _  
"Ha. You really think I trust you? A few seconds ago, you said I was disposable. How would I know you aren't trying to kill me?"  
_ Are you oblivious? This is a dream, silly girl. I cannot hurt you here. However, I can hurt you and those you love when you are awake. _  
"There is no one I love. I have no family, or friends." I say. _Not yet. Drink the gold for those you love to live in peace for their entire lives._  
I walk to the table and look closer at the glasses on the table. The one on the left was filled with a thin, golden liquid. The one on the right was almost the opposite. it looked like blood. Thick, red blood that gave off a horrible stench.

So far, the gold was looking more appealing.

_However, everything comes with a price. You must live in chaos. Constantly tortured, and in pain. You love many, but they do not love you. And without knowing, you will cause the person who is most like you pain for five years. After you reach the age of sixteen, you won't remember your past. You will die a slow, painful death after_. Drinking gold suddenly doesn't sound so nice.

"What about the blood?" I ask the voice, "What will happen if i drink it?"  
_ The blood? Both are blood. The difference is who they come from. I will assume that you mean the human blood. If you drink that, you will kill one of your own and pass the misfortunes you would receive to the others. One by one, your kind will die, the weakest first, and you will be the one to blame. It is your choice; Live in pain while the ones you love live in peace, or give them your pain and be safe_. The voice finishes. I have a feeling that it will not speak to me again for a long while.  
The voice must be trying to trick me into living a life in pain, because there is no one in this world who I love enough to sacrifice myself. I reach out my right hand and take the human blood. Since I have no loved ones, no one can feel any harm.  
I tilt the glass up, feeling the hot, thick blood slide down my throat. Almost immediately, the thousands of shadows in the room take human shapes.  
Once all the foul liquid is down my throat, one shadow captures my attention. It isn't completely black. In fact, the longer I look at it, it looks less and less like a shadow and more like a person in disguise. I reach out my hand and touch it.  
I was right. It wasn't a shadow, It was a person. It was Luke. His blue eyes stare right at me, but his eyes are emotionless.  
I certainly wasn't prepared for this. The person that trained me, raised me. Why was he here? Was the voice I heard earlier his? No, I've known him for my entire life. I think I would recognize his voice. But still, why was he here?  
What happens next is what I think is the only part of this nightmare I remembered. The real shadows glide over to me and start screaming in my ears.

_SAVE US! FREE US! IT IS HIM! THE MASTER! PAIN! OH, THE PAIN!_

The screaming bring me to my knees. Next I'm begging. Begging Luke to make it stop, but he does nothing. His eyes remain blank as if he were watching a boring television show instead of me being tortured. Then, out of the blue, I feel relieved. The shadows have stopped screaming.  
"Stop" a familiar female voice booms. I turn my head and see Willow standing in the middle of a bright light. Many of the shadows look to her. Once their empty eyes meet Willow's unforgiving ones, they explode into millions of tiny, white orbs that twinkle like stars. Soon all the shadows have exploded, and the only darkness left is Luke. The black smoke surrounds him still. It starts to swirl around him while it slowly starts to cover him.

"Go. Leave." Willow commands. And he disappears.

Just like that.

**~Anonymous Rhino**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four~  
I wake screaming Willow's name. She runs out of her tent to me and says something that I don't understand.  
"Were you there?" I demand "Willow. Were. You. There?" She's shaking slightly.  
"Yes." she responds after a moment.  
"Willow! What happened? Is everything okay?" Kyle yells. He probably thinks that I did something to Willow. Are those two dating or something? If they are Willow might tell him about the dream…  
"Don't tell him. Promise me you won't tell him." I'm plead silently. "Please. I don't want anyone getting hurt. Please."  
"I promise, If, you explain all this to me later." Willow says to me just before Kyle runs up to the both of us.  
"What the hell happened? I wake up to you screaming," he motions to me "and you almost stepping on my face trying to get out of the tent!" he finishes by gesturing to Willow.  
"I just had a nightmare. And the reason I screamed Willow's name is because she is the only person here so far that has actually been nice to me." I snapped. Why is he so infuriating? "Sorry about waking you up. Go back to bed. I'll be fine." Kyle huffs off and Willow stays at my side, probably waiting for a safe moment to ask for an explanation.  
"What was that?"  
I sigh, "A few weeks after I turned thirteen I had that same dream. I was being overcome by the shadows, but no one came and saved me. When I woke up that night I heard someone talking, but there was no one in my room or in the hallway. Thats when I realized that the shadows were whispering to me." I stop, not sure about telling her the rest, but I feel that she needs to know. "They told me to run away because it wasn't safe, and if I didn't…"  
"What?" She prods gently. "What would happen?"  
"If I didn't leave, then everyone I know will feel his wrath. I didn't know who 'he' was, but I was still scared. I ran away. I took a bus to Philadelphia and stayed at the Institute there for a few weeks.  
"A few weeks later, I had the same dream and the shadows told me to run away again. It's been like that for almost three years: running away, finding a home, having the dream, running away again i close my eyes and think about the countless times i ran away.  
"You didn't have to tell me all that, Charlie" She tells me quietly as she puts one of her hands on my left shoulder. I resist the urge to shrug it off "It's going to be okay. I mean, its not like you deserved it. You were an innocent kid. At least now you know that you aren't crazy. Unless there's some telepathic power you don't know you have to give me the same dream you had." I look up and try to smile. Its a little hard in these kinds of situations  
"Funny." I roll my eyes, "Thanks, Willow. I've only just met you, but I feel like we've known each other for years."  
"Yeah, me too." I have mixed feelings about telling Willow about the choice I made all those years ago with the two glasses filled with blood.  
"Good night, Charlie" Willow says quietly as she gets up.  
"Yeah. Nite." I respond. I turn on my side and try to fall asleep

*** *** ***  
I have this horrible habit of getting under people's skin easily. That person might have made and innocent comment like, "Oh, the weather today is horrible! Rain clouds make me feel so sad!", and I will completely explode in their face and start an argument over rain clouds or sadness or something like that. Something similar happened this morning.  
I had just woken up. The sun was shining in my face and when my eyes opened, Willow was walking over to Kyle who was going into the forest. She crossed her hands and said something that I couldn't hear. Kyle responded quietly, but Willow almost lost it. Her voice rose, and I knew that she wasn't okay.  
I soundlessly got up and walked over to them. Kyle had his hands on her shoulders and was leaning down slightly to look into Willow's eyes. By then I was close enough to hear if they said anything at a normal volume, but Kyle was whispering something only they could hear. I stop right behind Willow. She's taller than me by a few inches. "Ooh, why are you two whispering? Is it something you don't want me to hear?" I look at Willow. She has turned slightly to look at me. "What did he say Willow? Or is it a secret? You can tell me, right?" I'm kidding, and Willow knows it. But obviously Kyle didn't

His lip curls "Yes, Charlie. It is a secret. Something that I didn't think people like you would understand." After that, I don't remember the entire conversation. I remember bits and pieces, like him calling me naive, me yelling at the top of my lungs at him for calling me that, and I remember promising that I would leave right away... And I would've, if Willow hadn't collapsed.

Three hours later, she hadn't moved. Or blinked. Or flinched. Or do anything other than breathe. If Willow was a Shadowhunter, there would be some rune that I could draw on her pale skin that forces her to wake, but if I draw one on her, she might die of the pain. Or go crazy... You never know.  
Anyway, since i didn't know what to do in this kind of situation I sat by her and pressed a cold cloth to her forehead. Kyle didn't want me to move her body at all. He said that she had done this a few times before, and each time, no one dared to move her.  
"According to the town's psychic ," Kyle started "Willow's soul has left her body. Physically she's here, but mentally she's somewhere else."  
"You took Willow to a psychic? Why?"  
"We didn't take her anywhere. She showed up at the door after Willow collapsed."  
"Oh..." I look down on Willow and see her twitch. Just slightly. Then a minute later she opened her eyes weakly.  
"Willow! Kyle, Willow's awake!" He rushes over to us.  
"Willow? You there?"  
A moan.  
"Water" she croaks. Kyle rushes to get a bottle of water for her. I help to sit her up and he tilts the bottle slightly up into her mouth. She drinks almost the entire bottle.  
"What happened?" Kyle asks Willow after she finishes her water.  
She looks up at Kyle and asks, "Did you know my father was Apollo?" He doesn't answer, instead he looks at his hands that are clenched together in his lap "Kyle, I know you know. Why didn't you tell me? Why did you lie?" Her voice isn't harsh, it's gentle.  
"I wanted you to find out in your own. And, anyways, my Aunt told me that your mother loved music when she was young. She met a musician at a guitar shop and fell in love with him. She got pregnant with you and he disappeared. Without a trace." He stops to look at her. "As I got to know you better, I saw that your mother didn't like music in the house. When you told me that we were demigods, you didn't say who your dad was. I put the pieces together, and I thought Apollo."  
Willow is silent. Her eyes are locked onto mine, as if she was trying to say something. If she is, I don't understand.  
"I was in a beautiful ballroom in Idris." She starts "There was wine flowing from a fountain in the middle of the room. Apollo was there, looking at tables covered in food. He told me the story about the Angel Raziel, and how he created the Shadowhunters. Then he started talking about mom. How she sung, how she looked." She shakes her head.  
"Willow, its okay if you want to rest a little-" I start  
"No." Willow interrupts "I won't rest. This is important, If I fall asleep then i might forget it. We need to go to Chicago."  
Kyle looks surprised. "Chicago? Apollo told you that? Why there?" He asks.  
"I dunno… He said to take the Greyhound bus from Denver to Chicago. There we're supposed to find a dump across from a bank. But in reality, its a old church or something. We knock on the door and Charlie shows the inside of her left wrist to whoever runs the place." I look at the inside of my wrist-the one i need to show to the person was talking about. Theres nothing there. Just my pale skin and the silvery, almost invisible rune scars.  
One thing strikes me as strange. When Willow described the whole "dump is really an old church" it reminded me of the Chicago Institute, which I'd visited last summer. The only problem is that It doesn't look like a dump to mundane eye. Its an abandoned construction site for some apartments. I'd know because I was lost and I was going to spend the night in the big skeleton of the place. To my surprize, it really was the Institute.  
Always trust abandoned construction sites.  
"No. I am not going anywhere with her." Kyle gestures to me, his eyes still looking at Willow's. "She's insane and I just know we're going to be attacked by some monster on the way."  
I close my eyes and try to suppress a groan. "You do realise that you don't need to go, right? Willow said that I need to go, cuz I need to show my wrist to some dude running some church. You aren't needed for anything." I open my eyes and see Kyle staring at me with fury in his manure-colored eyes.  
"No. If I don't go then Willow doesn't go. And I'm not going." He spits.  
I raise my eyebrows and look over to Willow, "your choice. You going or not? If you guys aren't, then I'm taking those tickets. I haven't been to Chicago in a while." I say. After that, I just wait for Willow to make the decision.  
"Fine. We go, but how what are we going to do with our families, Kyle? Do we tell them where we're going or about my me-" Kyle cuts her off  
"No. We're going back home. You're going back to Iris, and I'm going back to Aunt Mai's. Let's go Willow." He grabs her hand, but she doesn't budge.  
"No, Kyle. This is important. I may not remember too much, but I do remember my family is understanding. We'll go to Chicago, and come straight back. Simple." She argues.  
"What if you get hurt?"  
"I won't"  
"How would you know?"  
"I just do." Willow reaches up, and kisses him lightly on the cheek. "Please?"  
Kyle blushes slightly, and rolls his eyes "Fine. But we go into town and tell Aunt Mai where we're going."  
"So it's settled. We get on our way to Denver tomorrow morning."  
Kyle takes a deep breath, "Joy" he mutters sarcastically. He moves into the tent to sulk, leaving me and Willow outside. I look at her, my left eyebrow raised in question.  
"Works every time" she says satisfied.  
I laugh.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hullo, so I have decided to update this story every other Wednesday starting today. Then for Willow's POV I'm going to update on the Wednesdays that I don't update Charlie's POV. So, in other words, I update OTB~Charlie one week and the next I update OTB~Willow the next.  
**

**Shoutout to The Huntress24 for reviewing!**

Chapter Five~

I stared up at the sky. The tent was packed, the food was stored in little bags and the bottles of water were filled and purified. There was nothing else to do.

Except look up at the blue sky, of course.

Willow and Kyle went into town to tell Kyle's Aunt that they were taking a camping trip… that might last for months.

I didn't tell them this, but I have a strange feeling that we were going to the Chicago Institute. I mean, I don't completely understand the 'demigod' idea, but I think I know enough to guess that there aren't any ancient gods in Chicago. So, why was Apollo sending us there? And why am I supposed to be there? How am i important?

I close my eyes. The last time I felt important was in Phoenix.

It was summer. I was staying in the Phoenix Institute. Almost exactly one year before, I ran away from New York. There was a little boy, Thomas, about four years old. He had brown hair that cut short, big blue eyes, and he still had some of his baby fat. Six months before, his parents had passed away in Spain. They were in Idris for some sort of conference, when the Madrid Institute called for help. A few Shadowhunters including Thomas' parents ran there, but it was too late. Something had broken in, and had killed everyone in the place. There was a trace of a demon going into the Pyrenees mountains. Naturally, the same group went looking for the thing.

It was a trap.

Whatever massacred the Shadowhunters in Madrid, tore most of the others into shreds.

Literally.

Two people survived with almost fatal injuries. A support team came just in time to save them. One, a woman, survived with both her legs broken and a few missing fingers and toes. The other, a man, lost his left hand and two toes on one foot.

Anyways, Thomas' parent died in battle. He followed me around the entire time I was there. Sometimes when I was training I saw his little head peeking out from spare mats stacked in a corner.

At the beginning, I thought it was creepy. I mean, a little kid whose parent had just died was following me everywhere. I was freaked. But one of the maids told me that I looked like his mother. Red hair, grey eyes, almost identical. I was mistaken for her many times. When people looked at me and realized their mistake, they would suddenly duck their heads and shuffle away.

As time went on, I got used to Thomas. He would still follow me, but instead of ignoring him, I would talk to him. When I was training with some of the Shadowhunters, I would walk over to him and teach him somethings. Like how to throw a good punch, or which rune does what. I taught him how to draw some. Obviously I didn't let him use a stele, so I got some washable Crayola markers.

You have no idea how cute he looked with messy marker runes overlapping all over his arms.

I think Thomas looked up to me, like I was a replacement for his mother. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was an important part of someone's life.

Of course it only lasted a few weeks. It was a hot night. I woke with sweat covering me completely. The sheets were tangled around my feet and illuminated by the moonlight streaming in from my open window. A human shadow was on the wall across from my bed.

This was the first time that my shadows had taken a physical shape.

_ Hush, Charlie. You must go again. He knows. He has followed you here. Stay safe. Leave it all behind._ The voice isn't like the others, its kind. It feels familiar, but I've never heard it before.

The others whisper, but this one speaks.

_ I have seen your connection with that little boy, and I have allowed you to stay longer. But now you must go. If you do not run now, he will catch up and kill them all._

I couldn't help but think of Thomas' parents. Oh, Thomas. He just lost his mother and father, and he's going to lose me. I could take him with me, but then I'd have two mouths to feed, two people to protect, and he might just slow me down. Not to mention he might get hurt.

No. Thomas stays.

I quickly changed into a black tank and black athletic capris, rolled up my clothes and stuffed them into a dark blue backpack. At the bottom I found an old fast food wrapper. Using a black ballpoint pen, I scribbled a quick note to the leader of the Institute, and I walked out of my room toward the kitchen. There was some extra room in my bag that I could use for storing food.

On my way there, I stopped by Thomas' room. It was smaller than mine and better suited for a child. Blue walls, striped with orange paint. Light hardwoods, and toys strewn everywhere. He was laying in a twin bed. All the covers were kicked off onto the floor. There were papers with crayons on a table by his bed. I grabbed a green crayon and a blank paper and started to write a goodbye letter.

_Thomas,_

_I'm so sorry about your mommy and daddy. I'm also sorry that I need to go. You were by best friend here._

_I may never see you again, but remember what I taught you. It might just help you when you start training to become a proper Shadowhunter. I have no doubt that you will be an even better one than I am._

_- Charlie_

As a last-second thought, I left my ring. It's a simple band covered with crescent moons and stars. I found in the bus on the way here. The place was almost deserted except for the driver and myself.

Finders keepers, you know?

"Charlie… We're back" Willow's voice drifts into my ears, past the ear buds that long since stopped playing music.

I sigh, and open my eyes. "Oh, hello." I yawn and stretch. Kyle and WIllow have backpacks on their backs. "How was town?" I ask

"Fine." both answer in unison. Suspicious.

"We should be off. The bus to Denver leaves in an hour. If we go now, we should be there just in time." Kyle says. Willow winces.

"Wait. I thought we were walking to Denver? I'm used to walking. Busses drive me crazy." I ask

"If we walk, it would take a day and a half at least. We wouldn't make it to the Greyhound by tomorrow. Apollo's tickets would be useless and we don't have two-hundred dollars to spare."

I open my mouth to argue about busses and the bad experiences I've had with them, but Willow beats me to it.

"I know. We should have asked you if we should buy tickets, but let's be honest. It would be impossible to get to Denver by noon tomorrow. If we left early this morning, then maybe. Besides, we should get to Denver with plenty of time to get to the Greyhound."

I'm not going to argue with Willow. Its feels wrong to argue with someone so innocent-looking like her.

"Whatever. I'll tell you guys about my bus adventures some other time. Lets go." I lift my bag - the same dark blue one that I used in Phoenix - over my shoulder and start walking. I know Willow and Kyle are behind me, so I don't look back.

**Review, please! Constructive criticism wanted!**

**~AnonymousRhino **


	6. Chapter 6

**OMG I AM REALLY SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING. My week was packed, and I was exhausted at eight every night. Usually I write a chapter on Wednesdays, and I go to a class. After that I come home and post the chapter on FF. Last Wednesday, I had to stay back a while cuz something got messed up and I needed to make sure that it was fixed. After that I went to dinner out and I FORGOT. Similar stuff happened on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (yesterday). So yeah, I'm really, ****_really _****sorry. I'll honestly try my best not to miss the update this late again. In fact, I switched to a Tuesday class, so I'll have plenty of time to write and update.**

**Okay, so I'm done with the apology. Here is OTB-Charlie chapter SIX**

Chapter Six~

Whenever I travel, I always feel on-edge. It's always very unsettling. Today, for some reason, everything is calm. My shadows don't whisper and hiss like normal.

Something isn't right.

I don't say anything, because I don't want Willow and Kyle quitting on me now. It seems to me like they've never been outside their little town. Or, at least, not very often. A sudden chorus of shrieks from my shadows makes me stop abruptly to cover my ears. Since I'm a step or two in front of Willow and Kyle they, bump into me.

"Charlie, is everything okay?" Willow's big, blue eyes meet mine. I can see the question she's really asking there; "Is it the shadows?"

I just nod. She nods back. The shadows haven't stopped, but the noise isn't as loud as before.. If I put in my ear buds and crank up the sound, I might be able to drown out the shadows… but I still want to eavesdrop on Willow and Kyle's conversation. Eavesdropping is one of the things I look forward to during training at the Institutes. For some reason, some of the girls i've met gossip more when they train than at meals. They must think that everyone is so focused on training that they won't pay attention to their conversations.

Ha.

In fact, it is a little hard to concentrate when they're blabbing away to each other in groups of two or three. On the bright side, I knew who seemed like someone to befriend. Not like it mattered. It's almost impossible for me to make a friend on my own. Willow was somewhat like a miracle for me.

I decide to put in my ear buds.

We walk a short way to a main-ish road. According to a map Kyle showed me before we left, if we walk north for about a half-mile we should be very close. to the bus stop.

Its quiet. Almost. I can hear Willow's sweet voice drifting over towards me, almost like the wind carries it and lays it in my ears for me to hear. She's been talking about her step-sisters Posey and Rose when they were young. She has also mentioned a boy, Aspen, although I don't know who he is. Could be another brother, but I won't know unless I ask.

I don't.

The sun breaks through the clouds and rays of golden sunlight fall on us, like in a movie. It's a perfect circle around us. If i moved to my right three inches, half my body would be outside the circle of sun.

"Looks like Apollo's sending us a sign." Kyle says in a loud voice. I almost hush him, but I catch myself. Normally, I wouldn't talk at all when I was travelling . Any loud voices seem to make my shadows whisper.

"Yeah, maybe. Hey, Charlie?" Willows voice is carried by the wind blowing north. She must've noticed that I didn't have in my ear buds anymore. I took them out just before we reached the road we're on now. I need to stay alert and listen out for any cars coming our way. So far, only three have passed.

"Hmmm?" I respond.

"I know you've been listening in a little. You know you can talk to us when you feel like it, right?" My head turns and I see her face. Light brown hair framing her lightly tanned skin and bright blue eyes. If innocence had a face, it would be hers.

"I never really give to conversations. They just turn awkward after a few seconds. Really, I just prefer to listen. " The bus stop is just ahead. Looking down at my ticket, and then at the clock on my iPod, I see we're ten minutes early.

I jog up and sit down on the bench to wait. The road we walked on splits into two up ahead.

Willow and Kyle jog behind me to catch up. Willow plops down next to me, her bag in her lap. " Do you have any siblings?" She asks lightly.

I shake my head. "Only child"

"Well… do you know someone that's like a brother or sister to you?" She presses.

The first person that comes to mind is Thomas, but I'm not sure he counts since I only stayed at his Institute for a few weeks. But mostly everyone I've ever known has lived with me for a few weeks, anyways… "This little boy in Phoenix, Thomas. I guess you could say he was a little brother to me. He'd follow me around and draw runes on his arms with washable marker." I smile at the memory.

"Runes?" Kyle questions. I look up. Since there's no more room on the bench, he leans on the little shelter wall.

"Runes." I repeat and lift up my sleeve to show them the spiraled lines I'm referring to. "Each one is drawn with a stele, and certain ones give you certain abilities. Like, for example, this one gives me strength, and this one speed, this one agility and so on." I point to each rune as I explain the meaning and unzip a little pocket at the front of my backpack to take out my stele. Kyle handles it with care when i hand it to him.

"Can you draw one on me?" He asks.

"No. Well, maybe… I'm not sure. They only work on Shadowhunters and if you put them on a mortal, they could burn up, or go mad." his mouth opens to ask another question, but I answer it before he asks it. "I know that you're supposedly half-mortal, half-god and whatnot, but I really have no idea what it would do to you, so I wouldn't try. " he shuts his mouth.

The bus drives down the left street. Willow and I get to our feet and sling our packs onto our backs. My stomach is churning. Something isn't right, I just can't put my finger on it…

But it's too late. The bus is in front of us and Kyle hops on with Willow on his heels. The inside is empty, except for three old women sitting in the front of the bus, knitting electric blue somethings.

We sit in the back, with an extra seat on my end. I close my eyes and think about the last few days. Two days ago I was on my way to a tiny, almost unheard of town called Huntersbrooke, but I took a wrong turn and met a sphinx. I don't understand why. I mean, wasn't the sphinx an ancient greek myth? She did mention she guarded the entrance to Thebes… that doesn't sound like a modern city, so is she the original Sphinx from the myths?

And she called me a hero. Why?

After I killed her, she turned to dust… demons never do that, they die sort-of like mortals do- with lots of ichor dripping out of their wounds until they die and disappear.

Then I met Willow. My shadows knew her name right away, and she knew mine. Does that mean she sees them too?

And that night she had the same nightmare as me and saved me. At the time, I honestly didn't think I would wake up.

Yesterday, Willow had that vision from Apollo. We decided to leave the next day to Denver and take a Greyhound to Chicago.

And here we are, on a bus to Denver with some old women to keep us company. Joy.

I close my eyes. This all can't be a coincidence. There's something connecting all three of us to this, but I don't know what.

She doesn't know. Haha, she has no clue. Charlie has always been so blind. Even when the answer is in front of her, she can't figure it out. Ha. My shadows snicker from the seats in front of our row.

"Shut-up" I mumble. But not quietly enough that it can't be overhead by Willow.

I don't even answer her when she asks me what's wrong. My eyes close and I tilt my head back. Sleep comes quickly.

A scream wakes me hours later.

**Hope it was worth waiting a few extra days! Please review!**

**~AnonymousRhino**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey fellow tri-bloods! How's life? I haven't logged in for a while, so when I saw that this story had over 400 views... Oi, I was happy. But then I thought ****_Ugh, I'm a horrible author for not updating on time_. I'm so sorry! I don't even know how late I am in updating! I have the horrible habit of procrastinating. Literally, I have woken up everyday this week thinking _oh, I'll update OTB tomorrow. _and for that I am sorry. I hope Chapter Seven is worth the wait!**

Chapter Seven

We were attacked by three elderly women. And we barely survived.  
Willow's scream woke me. My eyes fly open and I almost don't react fast enough to dodge the claws that try to scrape out my eyes. Instead of my eyes, they rake diagonally across my right palm to my left wrist. I automatically go into demon mode, like I have been programmed to do. Ignoring the pain in my right hand, I reach for the bronze whip wrapped up on my belt.  
That's when I see the creature for the first time. It has a dark brown skin that looks not too different from old leather. There are wings attached to its back and it's face is scrunched up into a mix of a scowl and a smirk. The thing disgusts me. I slash the creature's face mercilessly with my whip.  
Once the bronze surface touched the cracked skin of her face, she exploded into a shower of golden dust. The stuff coated my face and the inside of my mouth, which was slightly open. I turn to Willow and Kyle to make sure they're okay.  
"Are you both-"  
"Charlie!" Kyle interrupts me and I'm yanked back into the aisle of the bus and thrown onto the ground, face down. My arms are pinned on either side of me and someone is sitting on my lower back. Since my legs aren't very long, it's no use trying to kick my attacker.  
"Well, well. Look what we have here, Sister. A tri-blood. The Master will give us so many rewards when we turn her and her friends in." A voice says. Judging from how close it sounds, it belongs to Ugly Number One on my back.  
"He will not pay much for the boy, but we will receive much from the strong girl he has tried to torture in past years." A similar voice replies, Ugly Two, I suppose. There is the sound of beating wings and a quiet thump from behind me, towards the back of the bus. "And the one he has looked for ever since she was born, the invisible one. We will be rewarded for bringing them both."  
My hand and wrist are bleeding heavily. I'm starting to feel dizzy and lightheaded. Are those symptoms of blood loss? I can't remember...  
My stele. It's on my belt, and I need an iratze. Now. I try to move my left arm from under the hand of Ugly One on my back.  
Her grip only tightens.  
"Tsk, tsk. Trying to escape are we? Ooh, are you in pain? Does it hurt?" The thing on my back turns my bleeding wrist up towards it. "Shame I can't kill you. I might be able to get away with torturing you just a bit..." Ugly One extends one of her black claws and starts rubbing a few drops of clear liquid along my wet skin. It doesn't hurt, it just stings a little when it comes in contact with my open flesh.  
She sets my hand on the ground where it was before. That's when the pain starts. It's a burning sensation, like I have fire in my veins instead of blood. At first it only stung a little, but now it hurts. I feel it spreading, further and further into my body. I can't help it- I scream.  
"That's a little better. You can thank our Master's Alchemist for the poison. It took him ages to get it right. Imagine trying to make a poison that is colorless, odorless, and it only takes a few drops for it to paralyze a tri-blood without killing it! Very, very tricky!" Ugly One hisses.  
"Why call it a poison? If it only paralyses you, what's the point in calling it a poison?" It's Willow. I try it move my head to the side to see her and Kyle. I'd forgotten about them. I don't think Ugly Two has harmed them. They would've said something.  
The creature on by back was right, I'm paralyzed. My muscles aren't responding and the fact that I'm still bleeding heavily from my hand and wrist isn't making things better.  
"More than a few drops will make any tri-blood, like you and your small friend, drop dead in seconds. Never underestimate the Alchemist."  
I can't feel anything besides the trail of the poison that thing gave me. So far, it has engulfed my entire arm in fire.  
My breathing is slow and shallow and my head feels light, like i'm a balloon. I try to say something, but it's barely audible since my face is kinda pressed up to the bus' dirty carpet. It comes out as a muffled slur of sounds.  
"What was that, honey?" Ugly one asks me as it lifts up my head by pulling my hair back.  
"Why do you even care about us. Why does this 'Master' dude want with us? Can't you just kill me?" My weak voice comes out of my mouth magically. I honestly have no idea how I managed to speak. The poison is now stretching up my neck and down into my chest.  
Ugly One leans down to speak into my ear. "Because sweetie, you bunch are the only ones who can stop him. He's told us of a world where creatures like us rule. A world where there is peace, where we can do whatever pleases us. No Demigods or Shadowhunters to stop us. But then you came along-the offspring of a God and Nephilim. It's disgusting." Ugly One and Two hiss in disgust. My vision starts getting cloudy. "Your kind has been here since the beginning of time. So has the Master. But only now is he concerned. He has always disposed of tri-bloods before they became a problem."  
Ugly One drops hair and my head falls back down to the floor, squashing my nose. I involuntarily moan in pain.  
All the sudden I hear a wail from someone behind me. Maybe Ugly Two.  
"Sister!" Ugly One screeched.

I don't remember anything after that. I must've blacked out from losing so much blood. There's one thing I do remember, but I don't know if it was a dream or a memory.

It starts in New York, in the garden at the Institute. The rising sun is just rising over the tops of the skyscrapers. It's dawn.  
I'm standing by a pot of dead herbs. The door is directly in front of me, and I'm surprised when I see Luke open it.  
I freeze, like I did when I ran into him somewhere other than the training room back in NY. But he doesn't see me. Even though i'm less than a yard away. He looks around and turns to his right, toward the glass windows. One of them is wide open.  
On the way, I see him grab a watering can. In his left hand I see an ice pack, a bucket, and an old newspaper.  
At the window he ripped open the ice pack and emptied the contents into the bucket. Then he added water and stirred. I walk over and look around him into the bucket. The little grains are starting to dissolve into the water. When they all dissolve, he folds up a page of the newspaper and dips it into the bucket. He takes it out and sets it out in the sun. He repeats the process until all the liquid is gone. By then, the first piece he dipped has dried.  
He takes it in his left hand and pulls a lighter out of his back pocket with his right. Then he lights the end of the newspaper. White plumes of smoke emerge and they waft out through the open window.  
A nearby building answers with more white smoke.  
"She's left. We have succeeded. The Master will be pleased." Luke says to no moves his head down to look at someone running away from the Institute in an alley. "You are the one thing in between this world and the new one, Charlie Meyer. But you won't be a problem for longer."  
Me. It's me in that alley. This is three years ago, the day I ran away for the first time.  
Has he been working for the Master all the time I was in New York? Of course, he was the one in my dream. The one with the shadows. The one who did nothing when he saw me in pain.

**Oh, and I forgot to say something... THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH. All of you. Thanks for following Charlie and following me. Thank you for reviews and PMs. I originally thought that fifty people would read this and that they'd hate it, so THANK YOU.**

**~AnonymousRhino :)**


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